General Mack’s Grapeshot (GMG) is the conspicuously titled musical project of Australian multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and producer, Mitchy McIvor. Producing musical collages across a range of genres, McIvor writes, records, and performs all of GMG’s music.
After several failed attempts to release solo material, General Mack’s Grapeshot was the vessel to deliver on McIvor’s long-term intention of producing his own music. Sharing a ‘Mac’ like McIvor’s ‘Mc’, General Mack, an Austrian general most remembered for commanding an embarrassing surrender to Napoleon, was an unlikely inspiration for the project’s name. The devastating, ‘shotgun like’, Napoleonic weapon known as grapeshot was added to the project’s title to reflect GMG’s diversity of musical styles.
McIvor has played in numerous bands in both Melbourne and LA, notably Cannon, whose 2024 album debuted at number 11 on the AIR charts, and Damndogs.
It was early demos of new songs and their alternate direction that sparked the GMG endeavour. The album, ‘Revel, Revel’, was largely tracked during excursions to Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula – isolated and with Port Phillip Bay as a backdrop, the record started to take shape. The space, time, and seclusion allowed hours of experimentation with sounds and recording techniques.
General Mack is influenced by musicians and producers like Beck, The Kills, St Vincent, Danger Mouse, Serge Gainsbourg, and War on Drugs. As such, creative production techniques are a dominant feature.
There are guitar-drenched moments, familiar with McIvor’s previous work, but instead of conventional arrangements, the accompanying rhythm section is layered with drum loops, oscillating synth bass, and cinematic textures. All interspersed with a depth of melody and lyric.
The debut album was mixed by Melbourne’s emerging production talent, Robert Muinos (Didirri, Julia Jacklin, Jess Locke, Nat Vazer). The pair connecting with an appreciation for bold mixing selections.
GMG’s songs take inspiration from novels, short stories, and poetry. His phone and scrap books are filled with notes of ideas, phrases, quotes, and conversations.
The first single from the eclectic General Mack’s Grapeshot is Grenades and Stomach Flu, which blends dark, fuzzed-out riffs with dreamy melodies exploring ideas of time. It’s layered, sophisticated, and a perfect way to introduce this exciting new artist. Out now
General Mack’s Grapeshot launches dark, fuzzed-out debut single ‘Grenades and Stomach Flu’
To celebrate the release of his new single ‘Grenades and Stomach Flu’, Mitchy McIvor pondered Six Quix for us
Watch ‘Grenades & Stomach Flu’ Video
Stream ‘Grenades & Stomach Flu’ – Out Now
‘Grenades and Stomach Flu’ out now via Gyrostream + Bandcamp